Gasolene-engine system.



R. F. FURKNEH.

GASOLENE ENGINE SYSTEM.

APPucATmN nLEn Auen. ma.

Patented Apr. 15,1919.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

n SB V vwentoz Zim/@Zep m. n m m ROBERT F. FORKNEB, OF PRINCETON, WEST VIRGINIA,

ASSIGNOB 9F QNETHRD T0 JOHN B. THOMAS, 0F PRINCETON, WEST VIRGINIA..

GASOLENE-EN GIN E SYSTEM.

Specication of Letters Patent.

Patented Apr. 15, 1919.

Application Ied August 30,l 1918. Serial No. 252,110.

To all ywhom it may concern Be it known that I, ROBERT F. FORKNER, a citizen of the United States, residin at Princeton, in the county of Mercer and tate of Test Virginia, have invented a new and useful Gasolene-Engine System, of which the following is a specification.

It is the object Of this invention to provide novel means for supplying fuel vapor to an internal combustion englne, in addition to the regular supply; to provide means whereby Water vapor may be directed into the engine to aid in removing carbon; to provide means whereby a lubricant may be supplied to the engine; and to provide means whereby a carbon remover may be delivered to the engine. The invention aims, further, to provide means whereby the various instrumentalities Iabove mentioned may be operated and controlled.

1 do not bind myself to the particular arrangement of parts shown in the drawings and hereinafter described, it being clear that, prompted by his skill, a mechanic may make changes, Within the scope of what is claimed, without departing from the spirit of the invention.

In the drawings z--Figure 1 is a diagram showing a device constructed in accordance with the invention; Fig. 2 is a section through the tank; Fig. `3 is a sectional detail showing a part cf ,the valve-operating means; and Fig. 4 is asectional detail showing one of the valves.

The numeral 1 marks .the dash board of an automobile. The intake manifold is shown `at 2 and the carbureter at 4, .the numeral 3 designating a connection between `the earbureter and the manifold, and referred to hereinafter as a fuel outlet for the carbureter. The fuel supply pipe for the carbureter 4 is shown at 5. Tlienumeral 6 designates part of the exhaust pipe, which has an enlarged chamber .7.

A tank 8 lis supported in any deemed way and is divided into compartments 9, 10, 11 and 1,2. The compartment 9 Lcgontailgts a luhricant, such as cylinder oil. Water is `placed in ,the `compartment 10. The 00mpartmeut 1l holds the fuel., ordinarily .gasolene. A mixtureof gra hite greaseandcarbon remover isdispose in Ythe.coinpertinent 12. The compartments 9, 1Q, 11 and 12 have Vsloping bottoms14 leadlng to connections 15 wherewith drain cocks 16 are assembled. The compartments 10 and 11 have top connections 17. The compartments 9 and `12 are supplied with top .filling plugs l8, the compartments 10 and 11 having side ilhne plugs 19. The plugs 19, beging locatedb in the sides of the Vcompartir:ents 10 and 11, preventthe compartment 10 from being filled completely with Water, the same observation being true with respect to the fuel in the compartment 11. All of the compartments are supplied with gage glasses 20 of any approved kind.

One end of an air pipe 21 is mounted in the dash board 1 and carries an intake funnel 22 controlled by a valve 23. The pipe 21 is extended at 24 into the chamber Li' of the exhaust pipe 6 4and is formed into a coil 25 within the chamber'. .F rom the Ycoil 25, the pipe 21 extends as shown at 26 to the compartment 1 1 and passes upwardly into the compartment in the form of a coil 27 "havlng 'a depending funnel-shaped ,end 28 .disposed above the level of the fuel in the compartment. A pipe 29 leads from the top of the compartment 11 t0 the fuel outlet '3 of the carbureter 4.

One end of pipe 30, which is an air pipe, is mounted in the dash `board 1 and has a funnelshaped intake 31 Econtrolled by a valve 32. The pipe 30 is extended gt3?) to the chamber .7, formed into a coil 34 extended at 35 to the compartment 10, fashioned into a coil 36 Within theconipartment 10., end-terminating a d pending end v37 located vabove the ,level of lie water lin the compartment. A `pipe 38 leads :from fthe top of the compartment 10 ,to the fuel eutlet 3 for .the cerbureter 4- lhe air passing through the pidpes 21 and 30 is heated uin the chamber 7 an in `order that air may n ot lose its heat, the palets 35 @(1,26 of the air pipes are jacketed ,"liroxumgliomufJ their lengths, a part of fthe jaclejglg ,bemg .16- noted by the numeral 58 in IIlfigi'l.

A P1P@ 39eate11dsalengthetaek 8 .and iS Vcomiected at one end ,to the fuelfsiipply `5 of Athe carbureter 4. The pipe 3.9,f1ias' a `branch 40 leading lto the connection 15 of the com- ;Pertment, e branch 4.1 .connectie `thepp 39 with the Compartment 11,311.1' e breech 42 connecting the ,pipe k39 .with fthe `compartment 12. S"ght feed devices 43 are interposed in the ranches 40, 41 and 42, to regulate the flow from the compartments 9, 11 and 12, through the respective branches.

(`asings 44 are interposed in the branches 40, 4l and 42, und in the casings, valves 45 are journaled. The valves may be operated in any desired way, for instance, by connections 4() pivoted to bell cranks 47, fulcrumed at 48, and. connected at 49 to operating members 5U sliduble in the dash board 1 and in casings 5l on the dash board, the casings inclosing spring-pressed latches 52 coperating With seats 53 in the members 50.

A valve 54 is interposed in the pipe 39 between the carburetor 4 and the branch 42 and is actuated by a connection 55 connected with a bell crank 56 under the con- `trol of an operating member 57 of the kind above alluded to. It Will be obvious that by sliding, for instance, the operating member enrwise, the bell crank 56 will operate the valve 54 by way of the connection The valves 44 are controlled in a similar way, and in describing the operation of the vulves, the partirular means for working them will be dismissed, as heilig thoroughly understood by those skilled in the art.

The valve 23 may be opened, thus admitting air into the end 22 of the pipe 21. The suction of the engine draws the air through the coil 25, wherein the air is heated by the exhaust, the heated air traversing the coil 27 and heating the fuel in the compartment 11. The heated air ultimately is discharged downwardly from the end 28 of the pipe 21 on the fuel, a mixture of fuel vapor and heated air entering the fuel outlet 3 of the manifold 4 by way of the pipe 29. The mixture thus is enriched, with consequences, which are understood by those accustomed to the management of internal combustion engines. If it is desired to project the liquid gasolene directly into the fuel supply 5 of the carbureter 4, then the valve 44 in the branch 41 may be opened, the sight feed regulator in the branch 41 having been set and adjusted, so that the flow through the branch 41 Will be controlled t0 the desired extent.

In a similar Way, air passing into the pipe 30 when the valve 32 is opened, is heated in the coil 34 and heats the Water in the cornpertinent 10, the hot airbeing discharged from the end 37 of the pipe 30 on top of the Water. The Water vapor is sucked through the pipe 33 into the fuel outlet 3 of the carbureter 4 and aids in removing the carbon from the engine cylinders.

The lubricant in the compartment 8, being regulated by the sight feed device 43 in the branch 40, is admitted by the valve 44 inthe said branch, into the pi e 39, and passes fromlthence, into the fue supply 5, the lubricantultimately finding its Way into the cylinders, to grease the pistons, and particularly the top rings thereof.

The carbon remover 1n the compartment A 12,'Qregulatedby the sight feed device 44 in theY branch '42, passes, when the valve 44 in said branch is opened, into the pipe 3S), the fuel supply 5, and ultimately into the engine cylinders, to do the work which the name carbon remover implies.

It will be observed that the flow from the con'lpartments 9, 11 and 12 may be regulated individually by the valves 44, and the combined flow proceeding from the pipe 39 int-o the fuel supply pipe 5 may be regulated by means of the valve 54. Noting that the valves 32 and 23 are individually operable, and noting the pipes 29 and 3S, as Well as the valves 44 in the branches 40, 41 and 42, it will be understood that a wide variety of combinations may be made up, so far the materials delivered into the engine cylinders are concerned.

The device forming the subject matter of this application serves to increase the speed of an internal combustion engine, and aids in the running of the engine at slowr speed in high gear on automobiles. Further, the motor will be kept cool at all times and will run on a comparatively lean spark. If the motor is used in connection with dry cells or a storage battery, an appreciable saving in current will be noted.

The chamber 7 is in addition to the regular muffler and serves to silence the exhaust and to relieve the compression on the upstroke of the piston. The cylinder oil derived from the compartment 9 lubricates the upper end of the iston. The water vapor proceeding from t 1e compartment 10 softens the carbon and aids in carrying out the can bon through the exhaust pipe, after the carbon has been softened by the removing compound supplied from the compartment l2.

he graphite from the compartment 12 keeps the valves clean and the bearings smooth. The gas vapor produced effects a more perfect combustion and a more perfect explosion than is possible without the use of the device hereinbefore described, and a saving of fuel results. It is Within the power of the operator to use one of the compartments at a time, or to use all of them together. When the valve 44 in the branch 41 1s opened, a supply of liquid gasolene may be directed into the pipe 5 in front of the carbureter 4, and, consequently, the compartment 11 has the functions of a reserve su ply tank.

claim:- 1. In a device of the class described, a

`motor vehicle frame; a carbureter having a fuel outlet; an exhaust' a compartment; a conduit leading from the top of the compartment to the outlet; an air pi e having one of its ends located on the rame and having the other of its ends open Within the compartment adjacent the top thereof, the pipe coperating with the exhaust to be heated thereby, and passing throu h the compartment; a valve controlling t e first specified end of the air pipe and accessible to an operator of the vehicle; a fuel supply for the carbureter; a connection between the lower portion of the compartment and the fuel supply; and means for controlling the passage of the contents of the compartment through the' connection.

2. In a device of the class described, a carbureter having a fuel outlet; an exhaust; a compartment; a conduit leading from the top of the compartment to the outlet; an air pipe coperating with the exhaust to be heated thereby, one end of the pipe entering the compartment and being open adjacent the top of the compartment; a valve controlling the other end of the pipe; a fuel supply for the carbureter; a connection between the lower portion of the compartment and the fuel supply; mechanism for regulating the flow through the connection; and means independent of said mechanism for stopping the flow through the connection.

3. In a device of the class described, a carbureter having a fuel outlet; an exhaust; a rst compartment; a second compartment; a conduit leading from the top of the first compartment to the outlet; an air pipe cop erating with the exhaust to be heated thereby, one end of the pipe passing into the first compartment and having one of its ends open adjacent the to of the first compartment; a valve contro ling the other end of said pipe; a fuel supply for the carbureter; means for connecting the lower portions of the first and second compartments With the fuel supply; and independent controlling devices in said means and under the control of an operator.

4. In a device of the class described, a carbureter having a fuel outlet; an exhaust; a first compartment; a second compartment; a conduit leading from the top of the first compartment to the outlet; an air pipe cooperating with the exhaust to be heated thereby, one end of the pipe passing into the first compartment and having one of its ends open adjacent the to of the first com-` partment; a valve control ing the other end of said pipe; a fuel supply for the carbureter; a second pipe leading to the fuel supply and having branches communicating with the lower portions of the comparti ments; controlling means in the branches; and a valve in the second pipe, between the carbureter and that branch which is nearest to the carbureter.

5. In a device of the class described, a carbureter having a fuel outlet and a fuel inlet; four compartments; a pipe connected with the fuel inlet and havin branches leading to the lower portions of t ree of the compartments; controlling means in the branches; a valve in the pipe between the carbureter and that branch which is next to the carbureter; conduits leading from the upper portions of one of the three compartments and from the fourth compartment to the fuel outlet; an exhaust; a pair of pipes coperating with the exhaust to be heated thereby, the pipes passing into the fourth compartment and into said one of the three compartments and having open ends disposed adjacent the tops of said compartments; and valves controlling the other ends `of the last specified pipes.

6. In a device of the class described, a carbureter having a fuel outlet and a fuel inlet; four compartments; a pipe connected with the fuel inlet and having branches leading to the1 lower portions of three of the compartments; means in the branches for regulatin the flow therethrough; means in the brano ies for shutting off the flow therethrough; conduits leading from the upper portions of one of the three compartments and from the fourth compartment to the fuel outlet; an exhaust; a pair of pipes cooperating with the exhaust to be heated thereby, the pipes passing into the fourth compartment and into said one of the three compartments and having open ends disposed adjacent the tops of said compartments; and valves controlling the other ends of the last specified pipes.

In testimon that I claim the foregoing as my own, I have hereto aiixed my signature in the presence of two Witnees.

ROBERT F. FORKNER.

Witnesses:

A. A. HARTMAN, O. H. GARDEN.

Copie: ot thin patent may ba obtained for va cents each, by addressing the "Commissioner n! Patents,

` Washington, D. C. 

